outdoor grease lubricant

[NotMe]

I've found that silicon lubricant (the cheap aftermarket auto parts store brand works as well as the name brand for 99.9% of the applications I run into.

BTW I live in Texas and have property in both N Texas and along the coast (the stuff works well with plastic,aluminum and other metals). Best is that the residue does not 'get on good clothes' - (my wife, daughters, DILs and granddaughters are pleased)

Yes you have to renew the application but that's no hill for a stepper. Gates at the beach house gets a shot at the beginning of the season and one at the end. (ditto the door hinges and lock as do the slides on the windows) Occasionally we need to give them a shot around New Years but not often.

At one time we had problems with ice in car door locks following rain and a quick freeze. Don't know if there was any correlation but have not had a frozen lock in years.

[gregz]

The lithium might work. LPS 3 might work, it dries to a wax.

Greg

[bob haller]

Over the years I have serviced Ditto Machines that made those purple copies, thermofax machines, that went along with the ditto machines, they made thermal masters, copies, transparencies, and did some laminating. The 3M thermal fax was the machine the idiot tried to lube with vasoline. it turned tto ROCK in the unit, and was a horrible mess to fix.... All it really needed was a bit of light oil.

I have also serviced borg warner system 80 teaching machines, they used a record and a card guide to ask kids questions.. a spattering of av equiptement like overhead projectors

these days I service all brands of roll laminators. its a niche market that few care to bother with. GBC my main cometitor charges over $317 .

00 for the first hours labor within 25 miles of pittsburgh... I charge a fraction of that, although gasoline at 4 bucks a gallon was a killer: (

I still service some 3m thermofax machines for tatoo shops on a rare occasion, parts are hard to find...

ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING ABOUT LUBRICANTS!!! Never mix different types!!!

Mix plain grease and lithium grease creates non lubricating ROCK!!!! its nasty!

[HeyBub]

You evidently have never heard of the recent regulation requiring every public-access swimming pool in the country (think Howard Johnson or Holiday Inn) to have lift access for the disabled or the regulations that went into effect March15th. These latest regs include:

• Businesses must allow miniature horses as guide animals

• Slope limits on miniature golf courses

• Ample "turning space" at a shooting range

[recyclebinned]

Apparently if graphite isn=92t pure it may be called amorphous carbon or so= ot and depending on what the contaminant is it can be also be called a carb= ide which can be used as an abrasive.

[krw]

...and it's gone after the first heavy dew. All it's going to do is make a mess. Buy decent hardware and forget it.

[Roy]

Silicon spray lube will work fine but not great if you want to paint any wood that it gets on. Personally, I wouldn't bother lubing gate latches...they don't get used that much and they usually have enough clearance to not seize up.

[DerbyDad03]

When you say "they don't get used that much", I assume that you are speaking for your own gate latches, not gate latches in general.

I alone have two gate latches that get used multiple times a day.

Maybe about once a year the latches get a little stiff. A quick blast of WD-40 loosens them right up.

Personally, I don't care about the science beyond WD-40 and whether it is, by definition, a lubricant or not.

Here's what I do care about:

Maybe about once a year the latches get a little stiff. A quick blast of WD-40 loosens them right up.

[Vic Smith]

I'm guessing you manipulate them as - or right after - you spray them with WD-40. I don't have gate latches, but am a bit interested in science. So I'm thinking plain water would do the same thing - wash out the grunge. What I use to lube just about anything metal is clean engine oil. Got one pump can and one dimple-bottom can. Wipe away excess with a rag. It's pretty long lasting. But whatever works for the individual is what I say.

[The Daring Dufas]

I've been using industrial chain lube to lubricate anything exposed to the weather. I get it at auto parts stores. ^_^

TDD

[Stormin Mormon]

Wow, that's quite a varied and extensive experience. Thanks for the comments on mixing lubes. I've used many of the machines you mention.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

Over the years I have serviced Ditto Machines that made those purple copies, thermofax machines, that went along with the ditto machines, they made thermal masters, copies, transparencies, and did some laminating. The 3M thermal fax was the machine the idiot tried to lube with vasoline. it turned tto ROCK in the unit, and was a horrible mess to fix.... All it really needed was a bit of light oil.

I have also serviced borg warner system 80 teaching machines, they used a record and a card guide to ask kids questions.. a spattering of av equiptement like overhead projectors

these days I service all brands of roll laminators. its a niche market that few care to bother with. GBC my main cometitor charges over $317 .

00 for the first hours labor within 25 miles of pittsburgh... I charge a fraction of that, although gasoline at 4 bucks a gallon was a killer: (

I still service some 3m thermofax machines for tatoo shops on a rare occasion, parts are hard to find...

ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING ABOUT LUBRICANTS!!! Never mix different types!!!

Mix plain grease and lithium grease creates non lubricating ROCK!!!! its nasty!

[Ed Pawlowski]

Chris, that was one of your best!

[clare]

Or a bit of moly grease. Or teflon grease. I'm not a big fan of white lithium - but it would do the job. A good clear syntheric grease would be my first choise.

[Doug]

Sounds a bit like overkill but it also sounds like it will do the job nicely. I just have to be careful to not overspray but that's easy enough with a rag afterwards. Thanks.

[DerbyDad03]

Consider masking off the area around the latch so that the overspray never makes contact with the wood.

Once the overspray gets on the wood, some of it will soak in and a rag won't get it all off. This might impact the future use of a finish that might not take because of the grease.

This might not be a big deal in this case, but I just thought I'd bring up masking as a "best practice" to avoid the consequences of overspray.

[Doug]

Good point and thank you. This is on a rental home so likely I won't stain the wooden fence but I'll try to be careful nonetheless. I like your point regardless and will note it !!!

[The Daring Dufas]

The can comes with the little plastic tube that slips into the nozzle and I usually just apply a small amount using a quick blip of the valve. You can also spray it on a brush like a flux brush to apply the lube to flat surfaces of a mechanism. ^_^

TDD

[clare]

Easier to just spray into a small container and apply with a brush.

[Stormin Mormon]

Now, we need a flame war if the LRT improves WD, or detracts from it? I think the LRT improves, and anyone who says other wise is a potty head.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

The can comes with the little plastic tube that slips into the nozzle and I usually just apply a small amount using a quick blip of the valve. You can also spray it on a brush like a flux brush to apply the lube to flat surfaces of a mechanism. ^_^

TDD

[Jack Hammer]

I'd use WD-40® SPECIALIST? PROTECTIVE WHITE LITHIUM GREASE